Michelle Obama’s Dress Is Just the Right Amount of Interesting

These pictures of Michelle Obama are actually from two different occasions; the left was taken last night, while the right was snapped last year. But unless our friends at Tracy Reese pointed out the outfit repeat, we probably wouldn’t have noticed.

Which isn’t to say we don’t pay attention to the First Lady’s outfits; we do. Instead, it’s a testament to the versatility of the Tracy Reese dress and how easily it slides into the elusive "interesting, but not distracting" category. It’s got a bit of eye-catching detail on the bodice and sleeves, but not quite enough to force its way into people’s minds. With its simple black and white palette, it walks the thin line between being memorable and too memorable.

That notion’s something we really appreciate in a cocktail dress. Even though our outfits aren’t chronicled by the paparazzi, they are captured in digital photos, on Facebook and in our friend’s memories. So shop the slideshow below for options similar to Michelle’s, and pull off the same trick.